JOIN US IN DENOUNCING TEXAS HILLEL’S ISRAEL BLOCK PARTY
Texas Hillel
IFNOTNOW AT UT AUSTIN INVITES STUDENTS TO DENOUNCE ISRAEL BLOCK PARTY BECAUSE IT:
IGNORES THE OCCUPATION
IGNORES THE EXISTENCE OF PALESTINIANS
GLORIFIES THE MILITARIZATION OF ISRAEL
ENDORSES THE RACIST ISRAELI GOVERNMENT
On March 15th, we as IfNotNow at UT Austin communicated our concerns about Israel Block Party to Texas Hillel because it ignores the occupation and the existence of Palestinians, glorifies the militarization of Israel, and endorses the racist government led by Benjamin Netanyahu.
Texas Hillel chose to ignore our email, therefore we have no choice but to make it clear that Israel Block Party does not reflect our Jewish values of Tikkun Olam (repairing the world), truth and justice. Now more than ever Texas Hillel needs to confront the crisis of the Occupation and present a more accurate portrayal of Israel that goes beyond camels and hummus. IfNotNow at UT Austin is calling on UT students to denounce Texas Hillel’s Israel Block Party.
The Occupation is a human rights crisis. It is a daily nightmare for those who live it and a moral disaster for those that support and administer it. Israel denies Palestinians freedom and dignity by depriving them of civil, political, and economic rights.
The Knesset recently passed the Nation State Law, which declared that Israel is the homeland of the Jewish people, and only Jews have the right to exercise national self-determination. This law erases millions of Palestinians in the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza. This is even more concerning in light of the alliance between Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Kahanist “Jewish Power” party. More recently, Netanyahu has promised to annex the West Bank. This is illegal under international law and would continue the systematic removal of Palestinian communities at a far faster rate.
In an effort to portray Israel in a positive light and ignore the Occupation at all costs, Israel Block Party presents a whitewashed, idealized version of Israel. While Jewish institutions like Texas Hillel claim to be apolitical, supporting the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and a military occupation is absolutely political. Last year, IDF soldiers engaged in intimidation tactics with UT students exercising their right to protest the event, and there was a table where attendees could meet IDF soldiers. This glorification of the IDF is disrespectful of Palestinian students at UT, and does not acknowledge their deep historical trauma.
We hope that students at UT will deeply consider this perspective before choosing to engage in IBP. We also invite Jewish students at UT to use their voice and sign our petition so Texas Hillel can no longer claim to be the sole representative of Jewish life at UT.
In this political moment, when white nationalism, antisemitism, and Islamophobia are on the rise, we know that Jewish liberation is directly linked to Palestinian freedom. If you are a student at UT Austin, and you agree that Israel Block Party is problematic, please sign this petition.Sponsored by
To:
Texas Hillel
From:
[Your Name]
As a student at UT, I am deeply troubled by the Israel Block Party.
For too long, we’ve seen how Israel Block Party ignores and glorifies the Occupation: from denying the existence of Palestinians and refusing and glorifying the militarization of Israel to refusing to denounce Netanyahu’s far-right government and so much more.
We know that Texas Hillel would never agree to cancel Israel Block Party, so we are letting them know how many UT students are disturbed by their event. UT—Austin students deserve better than an event that obscures and ignores injustice.
As UT students, we refuse to be silent any longer. Texas Hillel needs to know that both Jewish and non-Jewish students are deeply troubled by Israel Block Party's blatant disregard for the Occupation, Palestinian dignity and human rights.